What does the eiffel tower symbol mean. Eiffel Tower - the symbol of France

Eiffel Tower (Paris) - detailed description with photo, opening hours and ticket prices, location on the map.

Eiffel Tower (Paris)

The Eiffel Tower is the main attraction of Paris, a real symbol of the capital of France. This huge metal structure with a height of more than 320 meters (the exact height is 324 meters) was built in 2 years and 2 months in 1889. It is named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel, who built it. Eiffel himself called it simply "three hundred meter tower". Interestingly, the Eiffel Tower was built as a temporary structure for the World Exhibition held in Paris. But not only was it not dismantled, but it also turned into a real symbol of Paris and the most visited paid attraction in the world.

With the onset of darkness, the Eiffel Tower turns on beautiful light illumination.

History

For the World Exhibition of 1889, timed to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution, the city authorities wanted to build an architectural structure that would become the pride of France. For this purpose, a competition among engineering bureaus was established. There was an offer to participate in it and Eiffel. Gustave himself had no ideas. He rummaged through old sketches and dug up a design for a high-rise steel tower, made by his collaborator Maurice Queschelin. The project was finalized and sent to the competition.

Out of 107 different projects, 4 winners were selected. Among them, of course, was the Eiffel project. After making changes to the project aimed at increasing the architectural appeal, it was declared the winner. In January 1887, an agreement was signed between the Eiffel Bureau and the municipal government of Paris to build the tower. At the same time, Eiffel was provided not only with a cash payment, but with a lease of the tower for 25 years. The contract provided for the dismantling of the tower after 20 years, but it became so popular that it was decided to keep it.

More than 5 million people visit the Eiffel Tower every year. More than 250 million people have visited the tower since its inception. A colossal number!
The cost of construction amounted to 7.5 million francs and paid off during the exhibition period.
More than 18 thousand metal parts and 2.5 million rivets were used to build the tower.
The weight of the structure is more than 10 thousand tons.
The creative people of Paris negatively perceived this building, believing that it does not fit into the architecture of the city. They repeatedly sent petitions to the mayor's office calling for the construction to be stopped or dismantled. So, for example, one of her famous opponents, Guy de Maupassant, often dined at a restaurant located in the tower. When asked why he eats here so often? He replied that this is the only place in Paris where it (the tower) is not visible.

Eiffel Tower opening hours

The opening hours of the Eiffel Tower are as follows:

From 9.00 to 12.00 from June to September.
From 9.00 to 23.00 in other months.

Ticket price

To the 2nd floor by elevator

Adults - 11 euros.
Youth from 12 to 24 years old - 8.5 euros
Children under 12 years old - 4 euros

2nd floor stairs

Adults - 7 euros.
Youth from 12 to 24 years old - 5 euros
Children under 12 years old - 3 euros

To the top in an elevator

Adults - 17 euros.
Youth from 12 to 24 years old - 14.5 euros
Children under 12 years old - 8 euros

How to get there

RER - line C, Champ de Mars - tour Eiffel
Metro - line 6, Bir-hakeim, line 9, Trocadero.
Bus - 82, 87, 42, 69, tour Eiffel or Champ de Mars

The Eiffel Tower, the symbol of Paris, has a complicated history. At first, it was categorically not accepted, then they got used to it, and now it is impossible to imagine the capital of France without this amazing structure.

Location

The famous symbol of Paris, which gives the city a look familiar to the whole world, is located on a former military parade ground, which has been turned into a beautiful park. It is divided into alleys, decorated with small ponds and flower beds. Opposite the tower is the Jena Bridge. The delicate openwork construction is visible from many points in Paris, though Eiffel did not originally plan for it. The tower was supposed to fulfill one function - to become an unusual entrance to the World's Fair.

Design approval and design assignment

The history of the Eiffel Tower began at the end of the 19th century. In 1889, the World Exhibition was to be held in the capital of France. This event was of great importance for the country. It was timed to coincide with the centenary of the day and was supposed to last for 6 months.

One of the objectives of the exhibition is to demonstrate technical innovations, so the creators of the pavilions competed whose project would reflect the future the most. The entrance to the exhibition was supposed to be an arch. The architects were given the task to prepare a project for a structure that would demonstrate the technical strength of the country and the achievements of engineering.

A proposal to participate in the competition from the Paris administration came to all the engineering and design bureaus of the city, including Gustave Eiffel. He did not have ready-made solutions, and he decided to look for something suitable in projects that were shelved. It was there that he found a sketch of the tower, created by Maurice Queshlen, his employee. With the help of Emile Nouguier, the design of the building was finalized and submitted to the competition by Eiffel. The prudent engineer first received a patent for it together with the creators of the project, and then bought it from Keshlen and Nougier. Thus, ownership of the drawings of the tower passed to Gustave Eiffel.

Many interesting and controversial projects were proposed for the competition, and the history of the Eiffel Tower might never have begun. The engineer made changes to the design to make it more decorative, and from the four remaining applicants at the end of the competition, the commission chose him.

Eiffel Tower - the year the construction began and the stages of construction

The construction of the giant structure began on January 28, 1887. It lasted for two years, two months and five days. At that time it was an unprecedented speed. Everything was explained by the highest accuracy of the drawings, in which the size of more than 18 thousand structural details was scrupulously accurately indicated. In addition, in order to speed up the pace of work as much as possible, Eiffel used prefabricated parts of the tower. Two and a half million rivets were used to connect all the details of the structure. In the parts prepared in advance, the holes for the rivets were already drilled, and most of them were installed, which greatly speeded up the assembly.

Eiffel provided that none of the pre-prepared beams and other parts of the structure weighed more than 3 tons - so it was easier to lift them with cranes. When the height of the tower outgrew the size of the lifting devices, mobile cranes specially designed by the architect came to the rescue, which moved along the rails created for future elevators.

The most difficult thing for them was not work at the very top, at a height of 300 meters, but the erection of the first platform of the tower. Sand-filled metal cylinders supported the weight of four inclined supports. Gradually releasing sand, they could be set in the correct position. When this was done, the first platform was installed strictly horizontally.

The cost of the construction of the tower amounted to almost 8 million francs. The construction costs were repaid within the time of the exhibition (6 months).

Weight and size of the structure

How many meters tall was the Eiffel Tower at first? It was 300 meters and was much more amazing in its size (93 meters along with a granite pedestal).

How high is the Eiffel Tower now? After installing a new antenna, it became 24 meters higher. The total weight of the tower is 10 thousand tons. With each painting, the weight of the building increases by another 60 tons.

The fate of the tower after the exhibition and the attitude of the Parisians towards it

According to the agreement concluded with the Eiffel, the tower was to be dismantled 20 years after the construction. Its success was resounding - during the exhibition, more than two million people wanted to look at the ingenious building, which had no equal in the world. During the year, it was possible to recoup most of the construction costs. But the admiration of the visitors of the exhibition was not shared by the creative intelligentsia of Paris. The Eiffel Tower (France did not know a more controversial opinion about any other building) caused outrage and irritation among artists and writers. They considered it ugly, like a factory chimney, and feared that it would violate the unique image of Paris, which has been developing for centuries.

The history of the Eiffel Tower could have ended with its dismantling, if not for the advent of the era of radio. Radio antennas were installed on the building, and the building acquired significant strategic value. The demolition of the tower was now out of the question. In 1906, a radio station was placed in the Eiffel Tower, and in 1957 a television antenna appeared on its top.

Description of the Eiffel Tower and the reasons for its design features

The lower floor of the building is a pyramid. It is formed by four inclined supports. The first square (65 meters across) platform of the tower rests on them. The supports are connected by arched openwork vaults. Above on four pillars lies the second platform. The next four columns of the tower begin to intertwine and join into a huge column. It contains the third platform. Above it are a lighthouse and a small platform a little more than a meter in diameter.

On the first site, as conceived by the architect, there was a restaurant. On the second floor there was another restaurant and containers of machine oil for servicing the elevators. The third site was given over to laboratories (astronomical and meteorological).

For the unusual shape of the tower, the Eifel was criticized at the time. In fact, the brilliant engineer and architect was well aware that for such a tall structure, the main danger is a strong wind. The design and shape of the tower are designed to withstand large wind loads.

Eiffel Tower: interesting about the famous symbol of Paris

Adolf Hitler during the occupation of France by German troops visited Paris and expressed a desire to climb the Eiffel Tower. But right before his arrival, the elevator drive was seriously damaged, and it was not possible to repair it in military conditions. The German leader was never able to climb the tower. After the liberation of the French capital, the elevator started working a few hours later.

The architect of the Eiffel Tower was very concerned about safety issues, since the work was carried out at a very high altitude. In the entire history of construction, not a single worker died - this is a real achievement for those years.

Unpleasant events are also associated with the Eiffel Tower - in 2009 it was awarded the third place in popularity among suicides.

It will take a year and a half of work and 60 tons of paint to repaint the tower.

On a day, the tower consumes as much electricity as a small village of a hundred houses.

The famous symbol of Paris has its own patented color - "brown eiffel". It is as close as possible to the real bronze shade of the structures of the structure.

There are more than 300 copies of the famous tower in the world. Several of them are located in Russia: in Moscow, Krasnoyarsk, Perm, Voronezh and Irkutsk.

Eiffel Tower in culture

The famous building has repeatedly become the object of interest of artists, poets, writers and directors.

The history of the Eiffel Tower is recorded in documentary sources, and its possible future has been shown more than once in apocalyptic films. One of the most interesting films is the documentary The Future of the Planet: Life After People. It shows that without maintenance, the Eiffel Tower will not be able to withstand its main enemies for a long time: rust and wind. In about 150-300 years, its upper part at the level of the third platform will collapse and fall.

But most often the Eiffel Tower can be seen on the canvases of artists. Jean Bero, known for his genre paintings depicting everyday life in Paris, created the painting "Near the Eiffel Tower", in which a Parisian woman looks at a huge building with surprise. Marc Chagall devoted a lot of works to the creation of Eiffel.

Conclusion

One of the most recognizable buildings in the world is the Eiffel Tower. France is rightly proud of this amazing symbol of Paris. The view from the top of the tower to the city is magnificent.

You can admire it any day - the brilliant creation of Gustave Eiffel is open to visitors on weekends as well.

The Eiffel Tower (Tour Eiffel) is one of the most famous landmarks in the world. She is called the object of contention, desire and charm. The Eiffel Tower is especially popular among lovers. Considered by many to be one of the most romantic acts, it is to propose marriage at the top of a tower. Although the Eiffel Tower was erected as a symbol of industrialization and aspirations for the future.

Tour Eiffel is recognized as a true architectural masterpiece. There are many such structures around the world. A copy of the Eiffel Tower in Las Vegas is the tallest among such replicas. Moreover, the Eiffel Tower is the most recognizable landmark of the French capital. She has repeatedly inspired artists, musicians, writers, filmmakers, photographers and other creators. Among the famous artists who use the image of the Eiffel Tower in their drawings are Seurat, Signac, Chagall, Delaunay; among the writers who mentioned it in their works are Apollinaire, Cocteau, Maupassant. And in modern creativity, this image does not cease to be relevant: in 2017, the single "Voyage" of the Leningrad group was released. The chorus begins with the words: "In the background of the Eiffel Tower."

Tourists strive not only to take a photo of the Eiffel Tower, but also to climb it to capture the panorama of the city. From the observation platforms you can enjoy beautiful views and see other sights of the city. Unfortunately, due to its height, the Eiffel Tower is quite often a place for suicides. However, not all attempts end successfully.

A visit to the Eiffel Tower is a must-do when traveling in Paris. You can see this building at any time of the year. During the day, the Eiffel Tower is accessible to the top, and late at night you can look at it from the side - this is no less impressive view.

The French themselves call the building "the iron lady" ("La Dame de Fer"). This name of the Eiffel Tower is due to the material of which it is composed - metal.

Dimensions

The height of the Eiffel Tower is 324 m. This is the data for today, but the original height of the Eiffel Tower in Paris was 312 m. The modern figure has increased due to the new antenna. Interestingly, the creator of the structure called it simply "300-meter tower." At the time of its construction, the steel Eiffel Tower in Paris was taller than any building in the world. To approximate its dimensions, the height is usually compared with an 81-story building.

What is taller than the Eiffel Tower? The Parisian building remained the tallest in the world until 1930, when the Chrysler Building appeared in New York. To date, even more towers have been built that surpass Tour Eiffel Paris in height: for example, the famous Burj Khalifa in the United Arab Emirates, and in Russia -.

The mass of the Eiffel Tower is 10,100 tons, the metal frame weighs 7,300 tons. Considering how huge this structure is, the weight of the Eiffel Tower is considered not very large. The number of different iron parts is 18,038 pieces. The dimensions of the Eiffel Tower are taken into account in the design features, so the fluctuations of the structure during hurricanes and winds reach no more than 15 cm.

The area of the Eiffel Tower, or rather the space on which it rests on the ground, is 500 sq.m (one side between the columns is 125 m).

How much to climb the Eiffel Tower? The ascent to levels 1 and 2 will take approximately 15 minutes on foot. Only the elevator goes to the top, the trip lasts a few minutes.

Tickets for the Eiffel Tower

Tickets are offered with the ability to climb to different levels. The price depends on this, as well as on how you climb the Eiffel Tower. The cost is also formed taking into account the age of visitors:

ticket for the Eiffel Tower of Paris with access to the stairs to the second level: 10.2€ for adults; 5.1€ for young people aged 12-24; 2.5€ for children aged 4-11 and disabled people;
elevator ticket to level 2: 16.3€ for adults; 8.1€ for young people aged 12-24; 4.1€ for children aged 4-11 and disabled people;
ticket with stairs to level 2 and elevator to the top: 19.4€ for adults; 9.7€ for young people aged 12-24; 4.9€ for children aged 4-11 and disabled people;
ticket with lifts to level 2 and to the top: 25.5€ for adults; 12.7€ for young people aged 12-24; 6.4€ for children aged 4-11 and disabled people;
children under 4 years old passed for free.

The prices of the Eiffel Tower go up every year. You can buy tickets for the Eiffel Tower online or on the spot. Please note that tickets with stairs to the 2nd level and then on the elevator to the top can only be purchased at the box office near the tower. In other cases, tourists recommend buying tickets for the Eiffel Tower online.

The queue for the Eiffel Tower is a common thing, so many people prefer to use online shopping. Tickets for the Eiffel Tower on the site are available for about 2 months in advance if you take the elevator, or 7 days in advance if you climb the stairs. In July-August and on weekends there are always a lot of visitors, so you need to look for tickets for the desired date in advance. In the calendar on the site, the days for which the last places are left for sale are highlighted in orange.

Online tickets for the Eiffel Tower do not need to be printed, just show them on the screen of your mobile device. In order to distribute the number of visitors and not create a crush on the observation decks, when buying tickets to the Eiffel Tower on the official website, you must select not only the date, but also the time of the visit. The most popular type of tickets is to the very top on the elevator. You can buy tickets for the Eiffel Tower on the website for a maximum of 9 people per order.

Excursions to the Eiffel Tower are organized by many travel companies. This option is suitable for those who want to hear the guide's stories during the ascent and observation from the observation decks. The guide will also tell you about other places of interest in Paris that you can see from the Eiffel Tower.

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History

The history of the Eiffel Tower began with the World Exhibition of 1889. It was held in the capital of France and was dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the storming of the Bastille. A few years before the exhibition, an architectural competition was announced in the country for a project demonstrating high technological capabilities.

Why the Eiffel Tower? The building is named after its creator, Gustave Eiffel.

The company of engineer Gustave Eiffel submitted a project for a tall iron tower to the competition. In fact, the designer at the Eiffel Tower is not alone, it is: Eiffel himself, the engineers of his company Maurice Köchlen (Köchlen) and Emile Nougier, as well as the specially hired architect Stéphane Sauvestre.

Sauvestre was brought in to make the appearance of the tower more aesthetic and attractive. He proposed pedestals at the base and arches connecting the columns to the first level. His idea was also halls with glass walls at different levels.

What year is the Eiffel Tower? It dates from 1889, but Nougier and Koehlen developed the first draft as early as 1884, they wanted to create a very tall tower from metal beams on 4 columns. By the time of preparation for the World Exhibition, the idea was finalized.

The Eiffel Tower of 1889 was a very bold and innovative proposal. In 1884, G. Eiffel registered a patent for a new configuration that allows the construction of metal supports and pylons at a height of more than 300 m. When creating the Eiffel Tower, special attention was paid to details and technologies that create wind resistance.

The construction of the Eiffel Tower was carried out at a very fast pace according to a strict schedule. The elements for the structure were made at the Eiffel factory in Levallois-Perret. Every detail is designed and calculated with an accuracy of one tenth of a millimeter. Workers connected these parts with rivets.

The Eiffel Tower was built by 1889 in 2 years, 2 months and 5 days.

A concrete foundation was installed a few meters underground on top of the gravel. It took 5 months to build the foundation. The metal parts were assembled in 21 months. The Eiffel Tower celebrates its birthday on March 31, when all the work was completed.

For that time, the construction of the Eiffel Tower was done in record time. In addition, it was built with incredible precision in every detail. At the same time, not the most flattering words were expressed about the Eiffel Tower. In 1887, many artists expressed a "protest of artists" against this building. For example, among the dissatisfied were: Guy de Maupassant, Alexandre Dumas Jr., Charles Garnier and others. They did not like the artistic component of the structure, which violates the beauty of Paris. The tower was called a bell tower, a street lamp, a tangled and deformed mast, a skinny pyramid of iron stairs, a clumsy skeleton, etc. Therefore, one should not be surprised why the Eiffel Tower was called ugly. However, it has been argued in defense of the design that it is an art in an age of science and technology. Over time, the drawing of the Eiffel Tower itself began to be considered an example of grace.

The Eiffel Tower project also became famous on the positive side - during the construction there was not a single death of workers. Safety in the rather difficult conditions of work at high altitude was given the utmost importance. The only death had nothing to do with the production process.

Eiffel Tower at the World's Fair

At the World's Fair, the tower made a splash. After opening, the Eiffel Tower was visited by about 2 million people. The exhibition ran from May 6 to October 31. The bold design of the Eiffel Tower delighted visitors. In the first week, the elevators did not work yet, but this did not stop and many climbed the monument by stairs. In addition to the unusual design, many were attracted by the opportunity to enjoy a panoramic view of Paris. The Eiffel Tower was illuminated at night, the projectors lit up in blue, white and red - in the colors of the French flag. Restaurants and shops have been opened at different levels. On the second level of the Eiffel Tower, the printing house produced special newspapers for tourists, where you could insert your name. An unusual attraction was sending letters on small balloons.

The Eiffel Tower was built as an object for the World Exhibition, or rather its entrance arch. It was planned that after 20 years the structure would be dismantled. However, it turned out that it became a symbol of the country. In 1898, the tower was used to establish telegraph communications, later its preservation was explained by military purposes. In 1906, a radio station was located here, a year later - an electric clock. In 1910, Eiffel extended the lease of the tower by 70 years. Radio programs began to be transmitted from the tower, and then television broadcasts (regularly since 1935).

During the occupation of Paris by German troops in 1940, the elevator drive was damaged. Therefore, Hitler could not climb the Eiffel Tower. In 1944, when the Allied troops approached, Hitler ordered the tower to be destroyed along with other sights, but the order was not carried out, since the military commandant, who was a German general, refused to comply with it.

The importance of the Eiffel Tower today is undeniable: it is one of the most recognizable buildings in France. For all, it has become a symbol of Paris.

Who sold the Eiffel Tower

A funny incident happened in 1925. Fraudster Victor Lustig, who spent his whole life inventing various scams, came to Paris and found out that the famous tower was dilapidated and needed to be repaired. He gathered dealers in the secondary metal market and introduced himself as Deputy Minister of Posts and Telegraphs. Lustig announced to them that the Eiffel Tower was going to be dismantled and sold for scrap, but all this was kept secret. Some time later, businessman Andre Poisson bought the right to dispose of the attraction from Victor. Realizing the deception, Andre did not go to the police, so the scammer Lustig did the same thing again, returning to Paris. So, he became the man who sold the Eiffel Tower twice. And these are not the only cases of fraud with the famous Parisian "iron lady".

Eiffel Tower levels

The Eiffel Tower is made of metal, namely, of steel beams connected with rivets. In total, the structure has 3 levels-floors. The Eiffel Tower was built in stages: the first level was one of the most difficult sections, since here the scaffolding had to hold four inclined supports and large beams. The history of the creation of the Eiffel Tower has from 150 to 300 workers working on its construction at different times.

Floors of the Eiffel Tower:

esplanade - lower platform;
the first floor is 57 m high;
second floor - 115 m;
third floor - 276 m.

Lower level (esplanade)- This is a pyramid on 4 columns, which are connected at the top with arched vaults. There is an information desk, a bust of G. Eiffel. At the bottom, the hydraulic mechanisms that raised the first elevators of the tower have been preserved; you can see them during a guided tour.

On the vaults of the arch of the Eiffel Tower is the 1st platform. First level The Eiffel Tower with a lookout occupies an area of 260 sq.m. The total area of the 1st floor is 4,415 sq.m. There is no viewing platform here, but another entertainment is popular - the glass floor. On the 1st level of the Eiffel Tower, there is an opportunity to rest before climbing further, you can have a bite to eat, go to the cinema with projections of a film about the tower, buy souvenirs, learn more about the building using interactive stands. There is also the Gustave Eiffel Hall with panoramic windows, where you can order an event. Of the historical monuments, a fragment of a spiral staircase has been preserved, along which Eiffel climbed to his office at the top. On the 1st floor in winter, a skating rink is poured.

2 level The Eiffel Tower is the second pyramid on 4 columns with a vault. The total area of this level is 1,430 sq.m. Here is the first observation deck of the Eiffel Tower, its area is 140 sq.m. From here you will see the main Parisian sights, including:, etc. You can go to a chic restaurant or souvenir shops.

3 level The Eiffel Tower is one large column, consisting of interlacing 4 main columns. The total floor area is 250 sq.m. The platform of the Eiffel Tower in the form of a square at a height of 276 meters has a side of 16.5 m. From here, the most impressive views of the city open up. Even higher, there is a lighthouse, above which, at a height of 300 m, there is a small platform (1.4 m - the length of the side). On level 3, the office of G. Eiffel was restored, where the scene of the engineer's meeting with the great inventor T. Edison is reproduced. There is also a model of the Eiffel Tower, or rather, its top, as it was in 1889. The model is painted in the original color of the tower. It should be noted that it is usually quite windy at the top.

The apartment on the Eiffel Tower is what some people call the office that Gustave Eiffel created for himself upstairs.

You can read more about the floors on the official website of the Eiffel Tower. There are 5 elevators from the esplanade to the 2nd level, two of them are preserved original models, they are located on the eastern and western supports. These are unique mechanisms that have no analogues. The first elevators on the Eiffel Tower moved with the help of hydraulic pumps, now electricity and motors are used. At the time of the appearance of the "iron lady" such elevators were a real technical triumph.

Only by elevator can you reach the observation deck of the Eiffel Tower at the very top. Two elevators take visitors to the top of the tower. They are made according to the duolift system: each mechanism is two cabins that act as a counterweight to each other, that is, if one cabin goes up, then the second one goes down. Thanks to modern technology, the Eiffel Tower elevators now run in the cold season.

Steps on the Eiffel Tower: 1792 steps lead to the top.

Under the balconies of the first level, you can see the inscriptions on the Eiffel Tower. These are the names of scientists of the XVIII-XIX centuries from France, who became famous for their achievements, and those people who contributed to the construction of the Eiffel Tower. They were not made immediately, but at the beginning of the 20th century.

The style of the Eiffel Tower is constructivism. Many agree that it perfectly conveys the spirit of the 19th century, when the cult of the progress of science and technology reigned. The shape of the Eiffel Tower - a pyramid on columns, at the time of creation looked very futuristic and innovative. She demonstrated the best engineering solutions. The material of the Eiffel Tower is steel, which also looked very modern and unusual.

View from the observation deck of the Eiffel Tower:

Colour

La Tour Eiffel has changed colors several times in its history. Painting of the object is carried out regularly, once every 7 years, and is an important event. The paint is applied not only to maintain a beautiful appearance, but also to protect the structure from oxidation.

In different historical times, one could see the red Eiffel Tower, and the colors of ocher, and chestnut-brown, and golden.

Eiffel tower color Today, the special shade "Eiffel Tower Brown" has been selected. Towards the top, the color changes to ensure the same perception of the entire structure.

To get a colored Eiffel Tower, 25 painters are hired, who work by hand. They apply anti-corrosion agent and coats of paint. All employees are specialists in working with metal at high altitude. At the time of work, the architectural monument is not closed for tourists, although painting lasts about 18 months.

The surface area for paint on the Parisian Eiffel Tower is 250,000 sq.m.

Chronology of colors:

1887-1888: "Venetian Red". The parts were painted in this shade in the workshop before the turret was assembled.
1889: thick red-brown.
1892: ocher brown.
1899: 5 shades used from yellow-orange at the base of the Eiffel Tower to light yellow at the top. A 7-year staining cycle is adopted.
1907-1917-1924-1932-1939-1947: tan.
1954-1961: brown-red.
Since 1968: the color that best harmonizes with the Parisian landscape has been officially chosen. 3 tones are used: the darkest on top and the lightest on the bottom.

Eiffel Tower illumination

The Eiffel Tower at night is no less beautiful and also attracts tourists. On December 31, 1985, engineer and electrician Pierre Bidault invented the illumination lighting of the "Iron Lady" of Paris. It consists of 336 yellow-orange light bulbs that create the effect of gold. Thanks to this idea, inspection of an architectural monument at night has become very popular. Rays of light illuminate the structure inside the Eiffel Tower so that the beams that make up it are clearly visible. Special sensors react to darkness and turn on the lights.

In 1999, in anticipation of the year 2000, an additional decoration was invented. The lighthouse on the night Eiffel Tower began to give light signals with a range of 80 km. The second innovation is sparkles twinkling with lights on a golden illuminated tower. These ideas of illumination on sights have survived to this day.

The Golden Eiffel Tower - this kind of lighting can be seen every evening in Paris after dark. The first 5 minutes of every hour you can see not just the luminous Eiffel Tower, but the twinkling that passes through the entire structure. It resembles sparkles scattered all over the monument. This flicker turns on every hour until 01:00 at night. According to reviews, this is a must-see if you want to appreciate the beauty of the tower's illumination.

At different times, in honor of significant events and holidays, a special illumination of the Eiffel Tower was turned on. For example, lights were lit on it, duplicating the flag of the European Union, when the country presided over the EU.

Night Eiffel Tower:

Why you shouldn't take pictures of the Eiffel Tower at night

There is information on the Internet about certain restrictions for photographing a light show. So, many are interested in the question of why it is impossible to photograph the Eiffel Tower. The fact is that the ban applies only to backlighting with flickering, since this illumination is subject to copyright. In accordance with European law, in order to take a photo of such objects, you must obtain written permission. Rather, it is even a ban on publishing such pictures. Many do not know about this fact, some people are outraged. However, there are no known cases of proceedings against those who photographed the Eiffel Tower at night.

Cafes and restaurants

There are places on the Eiffel Tower where you can eat for different budgets.

On the lower platform (esplanade), 1st and 2nd floors, there are also kiosks selling various light snacks and drinks.

To get there by taxi, you can call a car using the Uber, Le Cab services.

From Charles de Gaulle Airport to the Eiffel Tower

You need to go to the stop near terminal No. 1 and take bus No. 2 to the Tour Eiffel stop, 300 meters from the tower. Many people write that the most convenient and fastest way to get from the airport to the Eiffel Tower is to take the high-speed commuter train RER line B. From it you need to transfer to another transport, there are several options:

get off at Luxembourg station and transfer to bus number 82 to the Tour Eiffel stop;
Get off at the Denfert-Rochereau station and transfer to the metro line number 6 to the Bir Hakeim station.

A trip by public transport will take an hour - an hour and 15 minutes. The journey from Charles de Gaulle to the Eiffel Tower takes about 50 minutes by car.

Video about the Eiffel Tower in Paris:

general information

Initially conceived as a temporary building, the Eiffel Tower has become a symbol of France and an object of admiration. However, the history of the creation and construction of an impressive structure was dramatic. For many Parisians, the tower evoked only negative emotions - the townspeople believed that such a tall structure would not fit into the appearance of their beloved capital or even collapse. But over time, the French appreciated the Eiffel Tower and fell in love with it. Today, thousands of people are photographed against the backdrop of the famous landmark, all lovers strive for it to spend unforgettable moments. Every girl who has a date at the Eiffel Tower hopes that it is there, taking all of Paris as witnesses, that her beloved will propose to her.

History of the Eiffel Tower

1886 Three years later, the World Industrial Exhibition EXPO will begin its work in Paris. The exhibition organizers announced a competition for a temporary architectural structure that would serve as an entrance to the exhibition and personify the technical revolution of its time, the beginning of grandiose transformations in the life of mankind. The proposed building had to meet the following requirements - to generate income and be easily dismantled. More than 100 contestants took part in the creative competition, which started in May 1886. Some designs were quite bizarre - for example, a huge guillotine, reminiscent of the revolution, or a tower built entirely of stone. Among the participants of the competition was the engineer and designer Gustave Eiffel, who proposed a project of a 300-meter metal structure that was completely unusual for that time. He got the very idea of the tower from the drawings of his company's employees Maurice Koehlen and Emile Nougier.

Construction of the Eiffel Tower, 1887-1889

It was proposed to make the structure from ductile iron, which at that time was the most progressive and economical building material. The Eiffel project was one of the four winners. Thanks to some changes made by the engineer to the decoration of the tower, the organizers of the competition gave preference to his "Iron Lady".

Stefan Sauvestre was involved in the development of the artistic appearance of the Eiffel Tower. To give the cast-iron construction more sophistication, the architect suggested adding arches between the ground floor piers. They symbolized the entrance to the exhibition and made the building more elegant. In addition, Sauvestre planned to place spacious glazed halls on different floors of the building, and slightly round the top of the tower.

The construction of the tower required 7.8 million francs, but the state allocated only one and a half million to the Eiffel. The engineer agreed to contribute the missing amount from his own funds, but in return demanded that the tower be leased to him for 25 years. At the beginning of 1887, the French authorities, the Paris City Hall and the Eiffel entered into an agreement and construction began.

Old photos of the Eiffel Tower

All 18,000 structural parts were manufactured at Gustave's own factory in Levallois, near the French capital. Thanks to carefully verified drawings, work on the installation of the tower progressed very quickly. The mass of individual elements of the structure did not exceed 3 tons, which greatly facilitated its assembly. At first, high cranes were used to lift parts. Then, when the tower became taller than them, Eiffel used small mobile cranes specially designed by him, moving along elevator rails. Two years, two months and five days later, with the efforts of three hundred workers, the construction of the structure was completed.

From 1925 to 1934, the Eiffel Tower was a giant advertising medium.

The Eiffel Tower instantly attracted thousands of curious people - in the first six months of the exposition alone, more than two million people came to admire the new attraction. The appearance of a new huge silhouette against the backdrop of Paris caused fierce controversy in French society. Many representatives of the creative intelligentsia were categorically against the appearance of a tower equal in height to an 80-story building - they feared that the iron structure would destroy the style of the city and suppress its architecture. Critics of Eiffel's work called the tower "the highest lamppost", "bell tower grill", "iron monster" and other unflattering and sometimes offensive epithets.

But, despite the protests and dissatisfaction of a certain part of the French citizens, the Eiffel Tower almost completely paid off in the first year of operation, and the further operation of the structure brought substantial dividends to its creator.

Hitler in front of the Eiffel Tower

By the end of the lease, it became clear that the dismantling of the tower could be avoided - by that time it was actively used for telephone and telegraph communications, as well as for radio stations. Gustave was able to convince the government and the generals of the country that in the event of war, the Eiffel Tower would be indispensable as a radio transmitter. In early 1910, the lease of the tower by its creator was extended for 70 years. During the German occupation in 1940, French patriots broke all the lifting mechanisms to cut off Hitler's path to the top of the tower. Due to non-working elevators, the aggressors were unable to set their flag on the iron Frenchwoman. The Germans even called their specialists from Germany to repair the elevators, but they could not get them to work.

Gustave Eiffel

With the development of television, the Eiffel Tower is becoming in demand as a place to place antennas, of which there are currently several dozen on it.

The designer, who at first used his building for profit, subsequently transferred the rights to it to the state, and today the tower is the property of the French people.

Eiffel could not imagine that his creation would become a tourist magnet along with other "Wonders of the World". The engineer simply called it the "300-meter tower", not assuming that it would glorify and perpetuate his name. Today, the openwork metal structure towering over the French capital is recognized as the most photographed and visited attraction in the world.

Replicas of the Eiffel Tower can be found in more than 30 cities: Tokyo, Berlin, Las Vegas, Prague, Hangzhou, London, Sydney, Alma-Ata, Moscow and others.

Description

The base of the Eiffel Tower is a pyramid formed by four pillars. At a height of about 60 meters, the supports are connected by an arch, on which there is a square platform of the first floor with sides of 65 meters. From this lower platform, the next four supports rise, forming another arch at a height of 116 meters. Here is the platform of the second floor, - the square is half the size of the first. Supports, shot up from the second platform, gradually connecting, form a giant column 190 meters high. On this colossal rod, at a height of 276 meters from the ground, there is a third floor - a square platform with sides of 16.5 meters. On the third platform there is a lighthouse crowned with a dome, above which, at a height of three hundred meters, there is a small one and a half meter platform. The height of the Eiffel Tower today is 324 meters thanks to the television antenna installed on it. In addition to television and radio equipment, the facility has cell towers, as well as a unique weather station that records data on atmospheric pollution and background radiation.

At the foot of the Eiffel Tower

At the foot of the Eiffel Tower there are ticket offices and an information desk with free booklets and brochures. There is a souvenir shop in each pillar of the structure, and a post office in the southern column. There is also a snack bar on the ground level. There is also an entrance to the premises where you can see the obsolete hydraulic lifting mechanisms. But access here is open only to organized excursion groups.

On the ground floor, visitors are greeted by the 58 Tour Eiffel restaurant, another souvenir shop and the Cineiffel Center, where films about the construction of the Eiffel Tower are shown. Little visitors will be happy to meet Gus, the mascot of the tower and the hero of the guide book. In addition, on the first level there is a fragment of an old spiral staircase leading to the next floors, as well as to the office of Eiffel himself.

Visitors approaching the tower from the north side are greeted by a gilded bust of its creator with a simple inscription: “Eiffel. 1832-1923".

The second level is an observation deck. On this floor is the Jules Verne restaurant and another gift shop. Many interesting details about the construction of the tower can be gleaned from the information boards located on this level. In winter, a small skating rink is poured on the second floor.

The main goal of the overwhelming number of visitors is the third level. Elevators ascend to it, through the windows of which you can admire Paris. On the top floor, those who wish can celebrate their ascent to the tower with champagne at the Champange Bar. A glass of pink or white sparkling drink costs 10-15 €. On the site of the third floor can be simultaneously 800 people. Previously, on the upper platform were the observatory and the office of Eiffel himself.

You can climb to the top of the structure by elevator or stairs, consisting of 1792 steps. The Eiffel Tower is served by 3 elevators, but they never operate at the same time due to safety reasons and due to the constant maintenance of the structure.

During its existence, the tower was both yellow and red-brown. Today, the bronze color of the structure is officially patented and is called "brown-eiffel". Cosmetic repairs of the Eiffel Tower are carried out every 7 years, this process takes a year and a half. Before fresh paint is applied, the old layer is removed with high pressure steam. Then the whole structure is carefully inspected, unusable parts are replaced with new ones. After that, the tower is covered with two layers of paint, which requires 57 tons for this procedure. But the color of the tower is not uniform everywhere, it is painted in different tones of bronze - from dark at the base of the structure to lighter at the very top. This method of painting is used to make the building look harmonious against the sky. Interestingly, even today the paint is applied with brushes.

In the 80s of the last century, the tower was reconstructed - some of the parts were replaced with stronger and lighter ones.

Eiffel designed his brainchild in such a way that he is not afraid of storms - during the strongest wind, the tower deviates from its axis by a maximum of 12 centimeters. The iron structure is much more susceptible to the sun - the iron elements expand so much from heating that the upper part of the tower sometimes deviates sideways up to 20 centimeters.

Visitors first saw the tower illuminated in 1889, on the opening day of the World Industrial Exhibition. The construction was illuminated by 10,000 gas lamps, two large searchlights and a lighthouse, whose blue, white and red beams symbolized the national colors of the country. In 1900, the tower was equipped with electric light bulbs. In 1925, the owner of the Citroen company placed a grandiose advertisement on the structure - with the help of 125,000 light bulbs, images of the tower, zodiac constellations and products of the famous French automobile concern appeared on it. This light show lasted 9 years.

In the 21st century, the lighting of the Eiffel Tower has been modernized several times. In 2008, when France held the presidency of the EU, the structure was lit up in blue, representing the flag of Europe. Today, the lighting of the tower is golden. It turns on for 10 minutes, at the beginning of every hour, in the dark.

In 2015, the tower's electric light bulbs were replaced with LEDs to save energy and cost. In addition, thermal panels, two windmills and a rainwater collection system were placed on the structure.

Views from the Eiffel Tower

The Eiffel Tower is the emblem of Paris and a high-altitude antenna.
At the same time, 10,000 people can be on the tower.
The project was made by the architect Stephan Sauvestre, but the engineer Gustave Eiffel (1823-1923), better known to the public, built the tower. Other works by Eiffel: Ponte de Dona Maria Pia, viaduct de Garabi, iron frame for New York's Statue of Liberty.
Since its inception, the tower has been visited by about 250 million people.
The mass of the metal part of the structure is 7,300 tons, and the weight of the entire tower is 10,100 tons.
In 1925, the rogue Victor Lustig managed to sell the iron structure for scrap, and he was able to pull off this trick twice!
In good weather, from the top of the tower, Paris and its surroundings can be viewed within a radius of up to 70 kilometers. It is believed that the optimal time to visit the Eiffel Tower, providing the best visibility, is an hour before sunset.
The tower also holds a sad record - about 400 people committed suicide by throwing themselves down from its upper platform. In 2009, the terrace was fenced with protective barriers and now this place is very popular with romantic couples kissing in front of all of Paris.

Field of Mars Paris Statue of Liberty and Eiffel Tower

Tower address: Champ de Mars (Champion of Mars). Metro stations: Bir Hakeim (line 6), Trocadero (line 9).

Bus numbers to the tower: 42, 69, 72, 82 and 87.

Operating mode. From June 15 to September 1 - opening at 09.00. The elevator to the 2nd floor stops working at midnight; the rise to the 3rd floor (top) is carried out until 23.00; stairs to the 2nd floor close at 00.00; the entire tower is available until 00.45.

From September 2 to June 14, the Eiffel Tower receives visitors from 09.30. The elevator to the 2nd floor is open until 23.00; an elevator takes guests to the top until 22.30; the stairs to the 2nd floor are open until 18.00; the entire tower is open until 23.45.

During spring and Easter holidays, access to the tower is open until midnight.

Sometimes the ascent to the top of the tower is temporarily suspended - due to dangerous weather conditions or too many visitors on it.

Prices for entrance tickets. Until September 1: elevator to the 2nd floor - 9 € (for adults), 7 € (for visitors from 12 to 24 years old), 4.5 € (for children from 4 to 11 years old). Lift to the top - 15.50 € (for adults), 13.50 € (for visitors from 12 to 24 years old), 11 € (for children from 4 to 11 years old). Stairs to the 2nd floor - 5 € (for adults), 4 € (for visitors from 12 to 24 years old), 3.50 € (for children from 4 to 11 years old).

After September 1: elevator to the 2nd floor - 11 € (for adults), 8.50 € (for visitors from 12 to 24 years old), 4 € (for children from 4 to 11 years old). Lift to the top - 17 € (for adults), 14.50 € (for visitors from 12 to 24 years old), 10 € (for children from 4 to 11 years old). Stairs to the 2nd floor - 7 € (for adults), 5 € (for visitors from 12 to 24 years old), 3 € (for children from 4 to 11 years old).

Visitors with disabilities can go up to the second floor of the Eiffel Tower using an elevator.

In order to quickly get to the first and second platforms of the tower, it is better to use the stairs on the south side, since the elevators almost always have long queues.

If you want to get to the top of the "Iron Lady" without a queue, then you should buy electronic tickets in advance on the official website of the tower - www.tour-eiffel.fr. The ticket must be printed and paid for with a credit card. You need to approach the tower 10-15 minutes before the time indicated on the ticket, bypassing the queue. Those who are late for more than half an hour are not allowed to go sightseeing, tickets in this case will be canceled. You need to worry about pre-purchasing tickets as early as possible, since their sale for a specific day starts 3 months in advance at 08.30 Paris time, and there are a lot of people who want to get to the tower without a queue.

In the Jules Verne restaurant, you need to book a table several months in advance, the average check for lunch at an altitude of 175 meters is 300 €.

Category: Paris

Just as it is hard to imagine Moscow without the Kremlin, so Paris without the Eiffel Tower is not Paris. Of all the architectural sights of the French capital, it is the most famous. It was designed by Gustav Eiffel, after whom the building is named. Moreover, the Eiffel Tower is not only a symbol of the city on the Seine, but also a visiting card of the whole of France. The “tall” beauty is eager to be seen by millions of tourists from all over the world. There is no exaggeration here, since according to official statistics, about 5-6 million people visit the tower every year, and over 250 million visitors have visited the tower over the entire history of its existence. Only one thing follows from this: the named attraction is the most visited not only in Paris and France, but throughout the world.

The Eiffel project was said "yes"!

1889 marked the centenary of the French Revolution (in Soviet historiography it was also called the bourgeois revolution). The date is epochal, so the city administration of Paris decided to coincide with the World Exhibition. The authorities wanted the event to have its own original architectural appearance. For advice and help, they turned to Gustave Eiffel. He was at first confused - what to offer something? But chance helped. The designer quite unexpectedly found in his drawings a sketch of a three-hundred-meter metal tower, which he had once put on the back burner and almost forgot about it. The municipality liked the drawings and in September 1884 he was awarded a patent for the construction of this colossus.

In the spring of 1886, a competition was announced for the best architectural and engineering projects. It was they who were to determine the appearance of the future "revolutionary" exhibition. 107 architects-contestants presented their projects. Each of them - so coincidentally - had something in common with the project that Eiffel had drawn. There were also alternative proposals. For example, build a stone tower. The idea was initially liked, but then abandoned. It was considered that it would be problematic to build a stone building, and even such a high one. Specialists knew with what great efforts the Americans a few years before erected the Monument in Washington (169 m). And overseas "feat" in Paris is unlikely to be repeated.

As a result, the organizing committee said "yes" to G. Eiffel's project. Its members were sure that the eminent engineer would build such a tower in the optimal time frame, in two years, as he used a special construction technique. The only embarrassing thing was that the future tower would not differ in great sophistication of forms. Here the architect Stefan Sauvestre helped, who took up the aesthetic appearance of the building. He came up with the idea to sheathe the basement supports with stone, connecting them with the ground floor platform with the help of large arches. The arches were conceived as the main entrance to the World's Fair. The floors of the tower were not supposed to be empty either. The architect proposed to equip them with large halls with glass showcases. He did not forget about the top of the tower, deeming it necessary to round the shape of the top, using a variety of elements for its decoration.

"Treaty of Three" and the price of the issue

By the beginning of 1887, all organizational aspects of the construction were successfully settled. The signing of an agreement was scheduled for January, granting Eiffel the right to personal operating lease of the tower for as much as 25 years. The document was signed by the architect himself, a representative of the French government and an authorized person from the metropolitan municipality. The document also provided for the allocation to Eiffel of a special subsidy of one and a half million gold francs. It was a lot of money, 25% of the total budget for the construction of the tower.

Meanwhile, there was a catastrophic lack of funds to continue the work. To get things off the ground, they decided to organize a joint-stock company. The authorized capital amounted to 5 million. Half of the amount was contributed by three large banks, the rest by Eiffel personally. Thus, the price of the issue of building the tower amounted to about 7.8 million francs. These investments paid off quickly, even during the exhibition. The subsequent operation of the structure also turned out to be a profitable business.

Gustave Eiffel did not deceive expectations and really quickly completed the construction. It lasted from January 28, 1887 to March 31, 1889. That is, two years, two months and five days. In total, 300 workers were involved in the construction of the facility. But not only their professionalism and skill became the key to success. The record-breaking short construction period was made possible thanks to high-quality drawings. Eiffel pointed out with extreme precision - just think! - the dimensions of more than 18 thousand metal parts that were assembled using - there is no limit to the admiration for craftsmanship! - two and a half million rivets.

How was the construction?

Meeting deadlines became a matter of honor for Eiffel. Therefore, he first prepared most of the fragments of the tower, and only then they were fastened together with rivets. Holes for them were drilled in advance, so as not to mess around later. The architect also made sure that the prepared beams were not too heavy: this would have made construction very difficult. The optimal weight was not exceeding 3 tons, which made it easier to lift the fragments to the intended height.

Details of the future attraction were lifted up with the help of conventional cranes. But the construction methodically grew upward, and the lifts could no longer reach the right places. Prudent Eiffel was ready for such a development of events. He designed special mobile cranes that moved along the rails of the still missing elevators. There were difficulties here. After all, the lifting device had to move along the tower masts not just along a curved path, but also having a constantly changing radius of curvature. As for the actual elevators, the very first of them were powered by hydraulic pumps. Fives-Lill elevators, which were installed in 1899 in both legs of the tower, are in working order to this day. Only since 1983 they are driven by an electric motor. And the “retired” hydraulic pumps are safe and sound and anyone who wishes can see them.

The impressive size of the tower

The dimensions of the Eiffel Tower can impress the most sophisticated imagination. Let's start with weight: the whole mass structure is 10,100 tons, and the metal structure of the tower is 7,300 tons. Concrete masses form its foundation. Eiffel's brainchild is not afraid of any storms, its fluctuations under the influence of strong air currents are no more than 15 cm. In Paris, the strongest gust of wind, 180 km per hour, was somehow recorded. However, he rejected its top only by 12 cm. But the sun acts as a big "pest". The side of the iron structure facing it becomes very hot under its rays and expands. Accordingly, she leans to the side. And by as much as 18 cm.

You can climb the tower not only by elevators, but also by stairs. There are "a few" steps in it - 1792. And now let's mentally go down to the lowest floor. We are looking closely. It looks like a pyramid. At the base, each side is 129.2 m. This "pyramid" is formed by four columns. At a height of 57.63 meters, they are connected by an arched vault. The first platform of the tower was located on it. It looks like a square, the size of which is 65 m in diameter. From this platform, the second floor, the “pyramid”, rushes up. It is also formed by four columns. They are also connected by a vault. It houses the second square platform. It is slightly smaller and its size in diameter is 35 m. The height at which platform No. 2 is located is 115.73 m. Four platforms rise on it, which approach like pyramids and, intertwining step by step, form one huge column, also of a pyramidal type (190 meters). She, on herself, at a height of 276.13 m, carries the third platform. The shape is also square, 16.5 m in diameter. On this platform there is a lighthouse with a dome, and above it (height - 300 m) there is a platform with a diameter of 1.4 meters. The lighthouse reaches a distance of 10 km with its light.

What is on these platforms? The first one is equipped with restaurant halls. The second was given over to the storage of containers with machine oil, which is necessary for the operation of the elevator. Here, in the glass gallery, there is also a restaurant. Well, the third platform was assigned to two laboratories (meteorological and astronomical) and a physics office.

The designer was severely criticized for the shape of the tower, accusing that he allegedly created something “non-artistic”. Eiffel reasonedly responded to such criticism by giving an interview to Le Temps in February 1887. The "strange" shape of the tower, he said, is dictated by the need to forestall wind loads. Therefore, together with his assistants, the architect scrupulously calculated precisely the possible impact of atmospheric flows. Hence, the tower has such an unusual shape.

Pit pits for tower supports were arranged by Eiffel according to the method he used in the construction of bridges. The foundation of the structure had 16 caissons. Each of them had a working space. And in each, at the direction of the architect, air was pumped under pressure. The pressure prevented the penetration of groundwater, which allowed workers to excavate unhindered. The designer resorted to this method due to the proximity of the Seine.

When creating the tower, no one, including Eiffel, could have imagined that it would stand for more than a hundred years. The project was originally planned for 20 years, and then only as an exhibit for the World Exhibition.
As of 1889 (opening date), the Eiffel Tower was the tallest building in the world. It towered at 300.65 m and held this championship for 40 years, losing it in 1930 to the New York skyscraper Chrysler Building.
Gustave Eiffel himself called his brainchild simply a 300-meter tower ( fr. tour de 300 mètres) and immortalized on its body the names of outstanding French engineers and mathematicians, a total of 70 people.
During the construction of the tower, the only death was recorded: one of the workers crashed during the fall.
In 1925, all sides of the tower (there are 4 of them) were hung with billboards advertising Citroen. They hung there until 1934 and were at that time the largest outdoor advertising in the world.
In the restaurant on the ground floor of the tower, Guy de Maupassant regularly dined, who did not hide his negative attitude towards her. He was asked: why eat in such an unpleasant place? The writer replied that the tower is the only place in Paris from where it is ... not visible.
When the Germans were on the outskirts of Paris during the Second World War, the townspeople made the elevator on the tower unusable. The French did not want the enemy to admire the view of the defeated city. But Hitler was not embarrassed. The Fuhrer climbed to its summit on foot. The elevator was restored only in 1944.
The Eiffel Tower, unfortunately, attracts suicides. The first suicide occurred here on July 15, 1898, when 23-year-old Rene Shipon hanged himself on a beam of one of the tower supports. For more than 120 years of its existence, about 400 people have taken their own lives here.
The lighting of the Eiffel Tower was turned on immediately on the day of its opening. It was represented by gas lamps (10 thousand pieces), two searchlights. And also a beacon that gave light, painted in blue, white and red colors of the national flag of France. Electric lamps appeared on the structure only in 1900. On December 31, 1985, the well-known tower lighting system was turned on from inside the tower itself. It was designed in such a way that after dark the main symbol of Paris looks simply magical.
The Eiffel Tower is so famous and popular that smaller copies of it appeared in many cities. Among those are Las Vegas, Guangzhou, Copenhagen, Varna, Slobodzeya and others.
The Eiffel Tower is not only a tourist attraction. It is used as an ordinary TV tower. The signal from it extends not only to Paris, but also to the Ile-de-France region.
A wide panorama of Paris and the metropolitan area opens from the third floor of the building. The viewing radius is about 70 km. Connoisseurs say that the best visibility occurs in clear weather an hour before sunset.